Or use Visage, which not only allows you to customise the log-in window as much as you've shown here, but also has a few of other options available for 'hacking' the GUI, like running screensavers as a background picture.
(note, it's $9.95 shareware)

I think people have blown this rumor up to much, for as indeed is mentioned before, people wouldn't be able to boot from a firewire HD anymore, or use 'Target-Firewire' to load their laptops HD on a different computer, or use their Firewire-only equipment anymore.

Even if Apple was a hardware only company they would have done pretty great, they have the most inovating designs for computers. And the biggest share of their income comes off of hardware sales from what i've read.

A nice little idea might be to be able to switch between Mac and Windows in the same we Mac users can already use "faster user switching", That way, to switch over to window you only need to choose a menuitem, and with a flashy effect: Voila, you're in windows! ^^